Scout Active Support
Scout Active Support is a section of The Scout Association in the United Kingdom that provides support to programme delivery. Formerly known as the Scout Fellowship, it was renamed in September 2009 and rebrand in December 2019 with a fresh new purple and green colour scheme and the new style scout logo..
Scout Active Support provides a resource base from which Groups across Districts or Counties can access skills instructors, specialist activities, targeted help, media and communication assistance, administrative support, or training. Typical roles for Scout Active Support members at a local level are to provide specialist skills to Scouting activities, for example, kayaking instruction or pioneering, but at a National level there are forty specialist units providing assistance in the field of faith, student support for university students, belief, bush-craft, 4x4 off-roading, climbing and so much more.
Organisation
Scout Active Support is open to all adults over 18 years of age, including warranted leaders and members of the Scout Network, subject to satisfactory checks under the Scout Association Child Protection Policy. Active Support members must choose whether to become full or associate members of the Scout Association.The current 'Volunteer Head of Scout Active Support' is 'David J Thompson MBE' who was appointed in December 2019
History
At the International Scout Conference in August 1947, a resolution was passed which recommended that national Scout Associations should form extended association of Old Scouts. This was to coincide with the 40th Anniversary of Scouting in 1948. The precursor to the Scout Fellowship came into being in June 1948, and was set up to be a distinct organisation which was separated from the training sections in The Scout Association. This new organisation was named The B-P Guild of Old Scouts. It was a further five years before the new organisation gained its own constitution, and held its own elected council and committee.A review was also made at this time, due to the new Guild not being as involved with The Scout Association as had been hoped, and a five point agreement was made to remedy this:
- Membership of the B-P Guild of Old Scouts should be encouraged by and from the ranks of the Scouts and Scouters themselves. Responsibility for recruitment should be a joint one shared between the Boy Scouts Association and the Guild.
- There must be direct liaison between the Boy Scouts Association and the B-P Guild of Old Scouts at all levels.
- The B-P Guild of Old Scouts and the Boy Scouts Association should share each other’s publications.
- Each branch should perform services to local Scouts with individual members of each branch doing as much or as little as they were able. There was still a real place for those who could contribute only fellowship and moral support.
- The B-P Guild of Old Scouts desired to include in its membership all associations of old Scouts whatever their titles. The Boy Scouts Association supported the Guild in this and urged all former Scouts to become members.
The Scout Fellowship was formed in 1976 as part of a plan to restructure the support given by the old members of Scouting. Each District now has its own Fellowship, which replaced The B-P Scout Guild and also merged other District level support groups into their folds. The Fellowship was made a full part of The Scout Association in 1999, and was integrated under the auspices of Adult Support. This move meant that the Fellowship, now a part of the World Organization of the Scout Movement, is no longer a member of the International Scout and Guide Fellowship.
From September 2009 the Scout Fellowship has been renamed 'Scout Active Support', following a review which saw the need to broaden and strengthen the activities of Scout Fellowships, to make them more proactive and flexible support units for Scouting.
National Scout Active Support Units
National Scout Active Support Units are groups of volunteers who have formed an Active Support Unit registered directly with the Scout Association. These include special interest, activity centre, faith-based and international organisations.;Special Interest
- Scout Tech SASU — providing internet and technology services at events
- Brownsea Island Scout SASU - operates a trading post and museum at Brownsea Island Scout camp
- Deep Sea Scouts— aims to connect Scouting to the sea
- FLAGS SASU - proving support for Lesbians and Gays in Scouting — provides active support to those associated with Scouting regarding lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues
- National Scout Security Team SASU — provides security for Scouting and Guiding events
- Queen's Scout Working Party SASU — assists with the running of major national Scout Association events
- Scafell— Scout Climbing Activities Active Support Unit SASU Bref>
- ScoutMed SASU — provides on site first aid and medical services at Scouting and Guiding events
- Nationwide Scout Communications Team SASU - providing Radio Communications and Telephones for Scout Events, Jamborees and International Camps.
- Scout Radio SASU Scout Radio - The national team for all things broadcast radio within Scouting in the UK including event based radio stations, or support & guidance to those running them.
- Scout 4x4 - The national team for providing 4x4 to UK Scouting. We offer support and advice, the ability to train and provide young people with 4x4 experiences.
These units provide support to national activity centres
- 2nd Gilwell Park SASU — a service team to support Gilwell Park
- Downe Scout Activity Centre SASU — supports the Downe Scout Activity Centre
- Hawkhirst Scout Activity Centre SASU supports the Hawkhirst Scout Activity Centre
- Youlbury Service Team Fellowship - provides support to the Youlbury Scout Activity Centre.
These organisations promote and support Scouting and Guiding within their faith:
- Anglican Fellowship in Scouting and Guiding SASU
- National Catholic Scout Fellowship SASU
- Jewish Scout Fellowship SASU - To be created in early 2020
- Muslim Scout Fellowship SASU
- United Reformed Church Guide and Scout Fellowship is a national fellowship in the United Kingdom that works with members of Guide and Scout groups who are affiliated with the United Reformed Church, as well as members of the United Reformed Church who have an interest in Guiding or Scouting. It hosts camps for both Guides and Scouts, and has previously organised a national camp. It aims to provide leaders of all Scouting/Guiding Sections with resources to engage with the Faiths And Beliefs side of the programme and produces a magazine, "Linkline".
These organisations support members interested in Scouting around the world:
- Africa Network Scout Fellowship
- GAPP Network
- International Scout Fellowship
- Kandersteg Scout Fellowship
- Network Russia Scout Fellowship
- Serbia and Montenegro Scout Fellowship
- UK-Arab Region Scout Fellowship